Overview
- Former Bellator standouts Aaron Pico and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire meet Saturday at UFC 327 in Miami in the featured featherweight prelim at Kaseya Center.
- Pico, knocked out by Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut, said this week the loss left him embarrassed and drove changes to his fight IQ, movement, footwork, and defense.
- Freire dismissed Pico’s reinvention at media day, saying Pico “usually doesn’t defend sh*t,” and warned he is prepared for either a cautious wrestler or a brawler.
- UFC Hall of Famer Rashad Evans argued Pitbull needs the win more, saying the result could shape how his Bellator title run is judged within the UFC.
- DraftKings-reported odds circulating in coverage list Pico as the betting favorite and Pitbull as the underdog, as a long-discussed Bellator matchup finally happens under the UFC banner.